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Monday, November 1, 2010

"Some call it tampee. Some call it weed. Some call it marijuana. Some of them call it ganja. Legalize it; don't criticize it. Legalize it, and I will advertise it."

​When reggae legend Peter Tosh released the song and album "Legalize It" in 1976, a new anthem for the marijuana movement was born. And that same year, as a newly licensed 16-year-old driver, Legalize It was one of the first 8-track tapes (I know, LOL) I ever bought.

Now, in 2010, the family of Peter Tosh is, for the first time, coming out and announcing its strong support of California's Proposition 19 and the Just Say Now campaign to legalize marijuana nationwide, reports Michael Whitney at Just Say Now.

Today, as Peter Tosh did back in 1976 with the release of Legalize It, the Peter Tosh Estate proudly speaks out for marijuana legalization. They do this in the name of Peter Tosh, his music, and their strong belief in the power of "Yes" on California's Proposition 19. Join them in the fight for legalization by supporting the Just Say Now campaign.

In the video, Dave Tosh endorses Prop 19:

My name is Dave Tosh. Peter Tosh has been a lifelong advocate for the legalization of marijuana. The song "Legalize It" from the album of the same name became the anthem and rally cry across the globe. On November 2nd, California can help make this dream a reality. Vote "Yes" on Proposition 19.

"On behalf of Just Say Now, I can say that we are deeply honored Mr. Tosh's family is carrying on the same legacy that marked his living years: speaking up for those whose voices weren't as prominent," said Aaron Houston, executive director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy.

"He was an early pioneer not only in music, but also in speaking out for marijuana legalization," Houston said.

While every ultra-hyped Disney movie release goes hand-in-hand with an avalanche of merchandise, Tron's is pretty over the top.

The shoe and accessory line, for example, has Disney partnering with designers Jerome C. Rousseau, Hayden-Harnett, Robin Rotenier and TomTom. Their products will be on sale at the "Tron" Pop-Up Shop opening next month in LA before Tron: Legacy's Dec. 17 release date.

The clincher? Canadian-born designer Rousseau designed a pair of five-inch metallic platforms inspired by the female lead, Quorra. The price tag? $795.

And that's not the most expensive item on the list, which include cuff links, PS3 controllers, motorcycle outfits, sunglasses and board shorts. Who would buy any of this?

After the jump, check out our list of the most ridiculously priced Tron merchandise.

10. TRON Lightcycle Cufflinks, $345

Disney

The press release says "these sterling silver Rotenier Lightcycle Cufflinks are a subtle way to show your fondness for TRON during work or play."

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9. TRON iPod Dock by Monster, $249

Disney

Inspired by the TRON data disk, it's an iPod/iPhone data dock

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8. TRON Mouse by Razer, $99

Disney

Sure it's an ergonomic, 5600dpi high resolution gaming mouse, and it looks cool. But $99?

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7. TRON Gaming Headphones, $349.99

Disney

The Disney/Monster TRON headphones feature noise-cancellation, high quality Dolby audio and ControlTalk™ for hands-free voice calling with iPhones and other media phones. The headphones include a DSP for connection to gaming consoles.

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6. TRON Pit Boss Glasses from Oakley, $750

Disney

To be fair, the Pit Boss Glasses plus the backpack seem like a deal when you consider that these alone are $750

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5. Oakley TRON Hardshell Backpack and Pit Boss Eyewear, $925

Disney

The TRON hardshell black backpack and TRON Pit Boss glasses polished black w/black iridium may be a combo; it could also be called "rent"

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4. Tron: Legacy Snowboard Boot by Burton, $269

Disney/Stuart Ramson

They should call this the BurTRON snowboot--"made to look like something out of the future, yet seen through the eyes of a snowboarder back in 1982 when the first film came out."

​3. Tron cuff bracelet, $995

Disney

TRON Icon Cuff Bracelett designed by Rotenier, $995. The TRON Icon Cuff Bracelets are sterling silver and feature symbols seen throughout the TRON universe.

These motorcycle street legal suits featuring CE-approved body amour are replicas of the movie suits seen in TRON: Legacy. The women's suit will be available in the Quorra model and will come with the standard reflective features. The complete set comes with a jacket that has a removable skirt, pant, boots, and gloves.

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1. The "Tron" Icon necklace, $2,600, designed by Rotenier

Disney

TRON Icon Necklace designed by Rotenier, retailing $2,600. This sterling silver Rotenier necklace features the icon symbol from TRON: Legacy

FROZEN IN TIME: The insects were surprisingly well preserved, with soft tissue still intact. (Photo: sulla55/Flickr)

The 1993 film "Jurassic Park" was based on the premise that scientists were able to extract dinosaur DNA from ancient mosquitoes that fed on the prehistoric reptiles and had been preserved in tree resin. That story line is science fiction, but real scientists have discovered what is being called the largest amber deposit ever found — and it's loaded with perfectly preserved ancient bugs, according to The Independent.

The deposit, which is the first to be discovered in India, is probably larger than the current record holders in the amber-rich Baltic region of Russia, Germany, Ukraine and Poland. Even more valuable than the amber itself, however, is the treasure trove of ancient insects found trapped inside. Prehistoric bees, ants, spiders and mites that become encased within the amber over 50 million years ago can now be studied in unprecedented detail.

Usually bugs found trapped in ancient amber deposits are empty shells, with just their exoskeletons preserved. Their soft inner tissues rarely survive the millennia of decay intact. That's one of the main reasons the fantasy presented in "Jurassic Park" could never become a reality. But the bugs found in the new Indian deposit are different. They're some of the best preserved specimens ever found, with surprisingly well-preserved soft tissues.

"We are able to dissolve the amber and get the specimens completely out," said professor Jes Rust of Bonn University in Germany, who pioneered the effort to uncover the insects. "This is really outstanding. It's like getting a complete dinosaur out of the amber and being able to put it under the microscope."

In reality, these 50-million-year-old bugs would have survived the extinction of the dinosaurs, and would have lived at a time before mammals evolved. Though most of the creatures are ancient species, one species of ant belongs to a genus that is still alive today in Australia.

"The amber shows, similar to an old photo, what life looked like in India just before the collision with the Asian continent. The insects trapped in the fossil resin cast a new light on the history of the sub-continent," Rust said.

In all, 700 specimens have been found in the amber so far, but scientists say they have only just scratched the surface. "There is an enormous volume of amber to be found. This is just the beginning," added Rust.

fora.tv— "We are going to be seeing the oceans of Pandora, and the ecosystems there. The only sweeping change between now, and when we release the second Avatar film. I want to author the film at a higher framerate... Movies are way behind, they are a century out of date!"

This is one of the coolest pumpkins I’ve seen. I like how he even added the slingshot so that it would glow on the back wall. Combine two of my favorite things and you’ve got yourself this. Who doesn’t love carving pumpkins…and who doesn’t love launching those angry birds into all kinds of structures. The only problem I see with this is that it’s just an invitation for some punk kids to turn this into a real life version of the game and make it a smashing pumpkin.

The new cruise ship The Allure of the Seas passed under the Great Belt Fixed Link bridge between the Danish islands of Zealand and Funen across the Great Belt seen from Korsoer in Denmark on Saturday Oct. 30, 2010 as it sails from a shipyard in Turku Finland to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The sister ship of the world's largest cruise liner has narrowly passed under a Danish bridge, a feat that has required smooth seas and adjustable smokestacks. The Allure of the Seas is a twin to Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas, which made the same narrow squeeze under the Great Belt Fixed Link a year ago. (AP Photo/POLFOTO/Per Rasmussen) (Per Rasmussen - AP)

The Associated Press

KORSOER, Denmark -- The brand new sister ship of the world's largest cruise liner narrowly passed under a Danish bridge Saturday, a feat that required smooth seas and adjustable smokestacks, officials said.

The Allure of the Seas - a twin to Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas, which made the same narrow squeeze under the Great Belt Fixed Link a year ago - measures around four football fields and accommodates 8,300 people, including crew members.

Hans Nilsen, an official at the Korsoer Naval Station, said the passage went fine, with about a 20-inch (50-centimeter) gap and 1.5 inches (4 centimeters) to spare to the safety margin when it squeezed under at around 1420 GMT after lowering its telescopic smokestacks.

"It went great," Nilsen said.

He said traffic on the bridge did not have to be stopped during the passage because the voyage was made during daytime, reducing any risks.

The Allure of the Seas is worth about $1.5 billion (euro1.08 billion). It left the shipyard in Turku, Finland, on Friday and is expected to reach its new home port in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in a few weeks.

The cruise liner measures 1,200 feet (360 meters) from bow to stern, and its height from sea level is 236 feet (72 meters).

Aside from a two-deck high dance hall, a 1,380-seat theater and an ice skating rink, a number of pools, spas, gyms, it also houses bars, restaurants and cafes as well as a shopping street with a park with trees.

The building of the ship began by shipyard owner STX Finland in February 2008.

STX Finland is part of the international STX Europe Group, with shipyards in Brazil, Norway, France, Romania and Vietnam.

Joshua and Khalilah Davis had lived in their Hampton home for three months, when one of them packed up their toiletries in the master bath and moved down the hall.

"He may have been in the bathroom and I had to use it, and I couldn't hold it so I went to the bathroom down the hall," Khalilah says. "That's kind of how it started."

Like other Peninsula couples, the Davises share one less room in their home — the bathroom — allowing each other space and avoiding havoc in the morning.

"The bathroom in the bedroom isn't that big" Joshua says "and there is not enough space for both of us to be in there at the same time, so we started using separate ones."

The Davises have lived in their home for three years now with their 1-year-old son, Caleb, and their Yorkshire Terrier, Huggy. Originally the couple shared the master bath without any problems. It was not until they had to get ready for work at the same time that they realized the true size of their master bathroom.

Some couples say they recognized in the beginning potential problems with sharing a bathroom — lack of storage space, shorter shower times, and differences in cleaning habits — and avoided it all together. Other couples with small children find that they have an extra bathroom in their possession, since their children are too young to occupy one on their own. In many cases this arrangement is not planned nor discussed, but couples agree with the Davises when they say that taking advantage of the extra space just makes sense.

"I have a lot of products and like to spend time in the bathroom, and if I shared a bathroom, then I would have to cut my time short," Khalilah says.

It's impossible to know how widespread the arrangement has become. But even bedroom sharing is on the decline. According to a 2005 survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, one in four American couples sleeps in separate beds or bedrooms. While it has not been proven that a separate loo is the key to a long lasting marriage, Linda Lytton says she doesn't know of many couples who wouldn't have their own bathroom if given the chance.

She and her husband Dan, often get ready for events in separate bathrooms in their new Smithfield home.

"Did we almost divorce over using the same bath? No! We made it work," says Lytton, who shared a bathroom with her husband in the earlier part of their marriage.

For the married couple of 37 years, using separate bathrooms helps for efficiency. But as a marriage counselor with her own private practice in Smithfield, Lytton says she knows all too well that some couples have different morning styles — one is a chatty Kathy and the other is a mute — and for those couples, separate bathrooms are ideal.

"Separate space quite often lets partners see better sides of each other," she says. Her newly married son, Seth, recently spoke with her about this. She remembers him saying to her, "Honestly mom, she (his wife) doesn't wanna talk until 10 o'clock." Lytton told her son not to take it personally. If you have different morning styles, she says, allowing each other space is a great solution.

"When couples come together they think they have to share everything," says Anne Aja (prounounced Asia), a licensed marriage and family therapist at Rock Landing Psychological Group in Newport News. "That's not good for a marriage."

In an effort for Aja and her husband, Daniel Kauffman, to respect each other's privacy and give each other lots of space, they haven't shared a bathroom throughout their 10 years of marriage.

Aja's colleague, Kay Allen says privacy can have a positive impact on a relationship.

"There are so many times in the long term relationship, that we see each other looking unattractive," says the licensed counselor, who has over 22 years of experience working with couples. "We have to think of ways to recharge eros, erotic love, and for some people that's not sharing the bathroom."

John Womeldorf, a Williamsburg realtor, says while he finds it very difficult to sell a home with just one bathroom, he doesn't believe it is because couples don't want to share one. He says couples generally request a home with at least three bathrooms.

"Couples want one the kids can mess up, one for them and one for guests. That's pretty common in larger home buyers," he says. "I very rarely run across a couple who won't share a bathroom."

When Joshua and Khalilah wed five years ago, they encountered few problems with sharing the bathroom in their one bedroom apartment.

"He's always been pretty good with putting the toilet seat down," Khalilah says.

The only problem the couple had — if you can even call it a problem — is that they used different toothpastes. He used Arm & Hammer Toothpaste while her brand of choice was Colgate.

"I like (having my own bathroom) because I'm able to have my own stuff and keep it the way I like it," Khalilah says.

Don't have his and her bathrooms? No worries. Follow these tips to ensure you and your spouse share a bathroom headache free:

Purchase towel hooks and avoid using towel racks. Nothing is more annoying than finding a wet towel on the floor or seeing one sloppily hung on a rack. Hooks allow the lazy showerer to just throw their towel on any kind of way (and it still looks great) and not have to fold it.

Don't fuss about the toilet seat. Period. It's not worth it. There are plenty of other petty things to argue about.

Invest in extra storage for the bathroom. Keep toiletries off of the counter and out of your spouse's way. Don't be mistaken—even though it is a bathroom—toiletries do not add to the décor.

The neat freak gets the privilege of cleaning the bathroom. If your partner does not clean the bathroom to your liking, be the bigger person and take on the responsibility. Keep in mind everyone does not have the same standards of cleanliness. Instead of arguing that the floor is not spit shine clean, just ask your partner to clean their things tidy and you handle the dirty work.

Respect the closed door policy. Rest assured it is closed for a reason. Respect your partner's space and knock rather than just barging in.

Communicate. Know each other's schedules and respect them. Make arrangements that work for both partners. For example, if you have to get ready at the same time, the early bird should take their shower first.

Take two seconds to replace the toilet paper. No matter how big of a rush you are in, make your spouse proud and replace the toilet paper.

Ian M. Sherwin Giclée

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All you art collectors out there. Here is a chance to get a Giclee copy of some of Ian M Sherwin work. Ian is planning on doing a whole series of Marblehead, Massachusetts paintings.His work is amazing.